Traction-engine



(No Model.) 2SheetsSl1eet 1. J. H. ELWARD.

TRACTION ENGINE. No. 272,670. Patented Feb. 20, 1883.

Wz'keuwew k W 46: 0am ga/dw M 84% 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(N0 MOGGI.)

J. H. ELWARD.

TRACTION ENGINE.

Patented Feb 20,1883.

I fnwqww:

' diam/ 4 g Mu carrying at one end the usual fly or band wheel.

UNITED STATES PATENT 'OFFICEQ JOHN H. ELWARD, OF STILLWATER, MINNESOTA.

TRACTION -ENG|NE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 272,670, dated February 20, 1883.

Application filed Decemb To allwhom it may concern.-

Be it known that I,JOHN H. ELWARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Stillwater, inthe county of Washington and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Traction-Engines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of relerence marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The object of this invention is to so construct a traction-engine that it can bereadily started after it has come to rest in the position occupied by it while in the operation of turning.

To this end it consists in the combination, with a compensating-gear which permits the power to be applied by both driving-wheels equally, of a friction-clutch which permits the speed and power of the engine to be raised to the utmost before connecting the engine with the driving-wheel.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of so much of a. traction-engine as is necessary to illustrate my invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same, some of theparts being broken away for clearer illustration. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the compensating'gear.

In the drawings, A represents the boiler; B, the cylinder; 0, the smoke-stack; D, the truckwheels, and D the tongue, all of which parts may be of the ordinary or any preferred character.

E E are the driving-wheels, mounted on independent shafts e e, or mounted loosely on a through-axle.

F represents the main shaft of the engine,

G is a cone keyed to the shaft, and intended as the stationary part of the friction-clutch.

H is a hollow cone, mounted and arranged to slide loosely upon the shaft F. It forms the other or movable part of the f|'iction-clutcl1,tlie concave opening in theend being constructed to tit tightly the convex surface of the stationary part G. The wearing-surfaces of the couvex and concave parts of the clutch may, if desired, be constructed of soft metal or paper, or any other material used for frictional bearinger 21,1880. (No model.)

surfaces, though in practice I have found that clutches, of cast metal answer very well for ordinary purposes. Any suitable mechanism may be combined with the movable part of the clutch to slide it to and from the stationary part. In the drawings I have shown a forked lever, h, pivoted to an arm or some stationary part of the boiler, and arranged to engage with the sliding part of the clutch in a well-known manner. The forked leverv is oscillated by means of a hand-lever, h, extending to the drivers platform.

I represents a sprocket-wheel formed with or attached to the sliding part H of the friction-clutch. The wheel is connected with the mechanism which engages with the drivingwheels by means of a chain, 1.

Krepresentsacounter shaft orsupplemental shaft, mounted beneath the boiler on a line parallel to the axis of the driving-wheels, and in suitable proximity to the peripheries thereof, either in front or in rear, the latter being preferred and being shown in the drawings.

L is a spur-pinion keyed to the countershaft at one end thereof, and L is a spur-pinion mounted loosely upon the shaft at the other end. These pinions are arranged to engage respectively with the opposite driving-wheels E El 1 M is a bevel-wheel keyed to the countershaft, and M is a bevel-wheel, of the same diameter, formed with or attached to the loose pinion L.

N is" a. sprocket-wheel receiving power from the wheel I through chain 1. The sprocketwheel N engages with the bevel-wheels M and M by means of pinions O 0, carried by the chain -wheel N, the wheel having recesses formed in it for the mounting and supporting of the pinions.

The parts K, L, L, M, M, N, and O constitute a com pensating-gear of substantially the character now well known. When the power is transmitted by these devices it is imparted to both drivingwheels equally at all times, as is well known, and hence in order to turn an engine on a curved path a compensating meehanism of substantially this character is indispensable. By combiningwith this mechanism a friction-clutch I am enabled to impart the utmost power to the engine at any instant in equal degrees to the driving-wheels. Without the compensating-gear the power enhanced by the clutch would be all exerted upon one wheel, and even this greatest power thus exerted upon but onewheel is insufficient to start an engine of ordinary weight. Without the clutch the engine cannot get up enough momentum to overcometheinertiaoi'themachine,although a compensating'gear be employed.

. If desired, the d evioes herein before described may be combined with any suitable mechanism t'or transmitting power, this invention per- ,taining especially to the combination of the friction-clutch with the compensating-gear.

I am aware that it is not new to apply power from the engine to independently-moving traction-wheels through the medium of a compensetting-gear, a clutch, and a friction-connection between one member of said clutch and a shaft upon which the friction-conneetion is mounted; but in such prior construction the clutch was provided with interlocking times or proj ctions which rendered it impossible to operate ently of each other, a compensating-gearing through which power may be applied to both driving-wheels equally when they are rotating at different speeds, at driving-engine, and a friction-clutch mechanism interposed between,

the driving-engine and thecompensating-gearing mechanism, whereby the engine may be put into full motion and its momentum then transferred equally to both driving-wheels,substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix mysig'nature in presence of two wltnesses.

JOHN H. ELWARD.

\Vitnesses:

H. H. DOUBLEDAY, H. H. Buss. 

